Review: Kim's Tarts Sinus Relief

Who says you can't burn candles or melt tarts while you're sick?

Especially when the tart in question is called "Sinus Relief." Can't you just smell the mint from here? Ahhhhh, soothing.

I bought a bunch of tarts from Tart Candles by Kim a while back, but actually haven't gotten around to using any of them; then I remembered (in a moment of genius) that I had a bag of Sinus Relief tarts! WOOT!!

The website description reads: "Ever smell the scent of vick's vapor rub? Our sinus relief fragrance is a cool, crisp blend of camphor, eucalyptus, and mint. Great for snuffed up noses!"

Well, a stuffed up nose is what I've got! It's probably just a head cold, but I'd rather not infect anyone, so I'm kickin' it at home today. The entire bedroom smells like Vick's Vapor Rub, but not in a bad way. It's refreshing, minty, medicinal, perfect for these under-the-weather days. It has actually lifted my spirits a bit, and I'm able to smell a lot better! The throw is strong, and most of that probably has to do with the combination of scents.

Plus, this is SO MUCH NICER than actually using Vick's.

The best part about Kim's Tarts is that each bag (individually sealed with a cute little ribbon) contains 3 tarts and they only cost $1.50! How's THAT for a bargain!? Since this is the first tart I've tried from my order, my impression of this company so far is positive. Some of my tarts were veeeeeeeeery strong upon opening the package, so I am airing them out a bit before I melt them. Give them a try! Kim is really fast at correspondence, too, and you can tell she really cares about her customers. She even included 5 free sample tarts in my order! How sweet was that?! :)

Anyways, my weekend wax review will be up later tomorrow, so expect lots of minty goodness to help combat this cold. Have a good weekend, all, and don't forget to take advantage of the Buy 2 Get 2 free sale at Yankee Candle, if you choose! The code is: 2FREE.

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Kim's Tarts Sinus Relief
Cold Rating: 5.5/10, it doesn't actually smell that strong upon cold throw.
Lit Rating (for these tart reviews, substitute LIT for WARM): 6.5/10, super strong, refreshing, true sinus relief
Throw Rating: 6.5/10, very powerful in one room, but does a good job of not traveling too far outside
Overall Rating: 6.5/10; this one truly lives up to its name. It's enjoyable and helpful, but I'm not sure I'd love it if I wasn't sick...although, that might defeat the purpose, right?! Definitely medicinal, but somehow cooling at the same time.

Review: Yankee Candle's Spiced Pumpkin 2-Wick Tumbler

I bought this candle last year during Yankee Candle's buy 2 get 2 free sale (which is also going on right now until September 30th, so get in on it now if you want some large jars). As you can see from the above photo, it is a little more than halfway burned. Even when it's not fall, I find myself wanting the comforting, spicy fragrance this candle brings to our home within 20-30 minutes. The pumpkin-y, cinnamon-y, slightly sugary scent wafts through our house, not just in the living room. It also has a slightly earthy element to it, not in a "dirt"y way, but in a soiled, freshly picked pumpkin way.

We absolutely love this scent. Its coziness and its distinctly fall flavors make this an all-around awesome candle to have on hand at all times. The throw is strong, but not overpoweringly so. It burns evenly, and I've had no performance issues whatsoever.

Do you have a favorite fall pumpkin scent? I'd go as far as putting this in my top 10 favorites for ALL of fall, actually! :)

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Yankee Candle Spiced Pumpkin
Cold Rating: 6.5/10, you can smell all of the flavors, but it's not overpowering.
Lit Rating: 8/10, super fall-esque, strong throw, even performance.
Throw Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8/10; memories of sitting around the table carving pumpkins, sweatered and cozy, simmering spices in the background, falling leaves. FALL ROCKS!

Wickless Wednesday: Scentsy's Cozy Fireside

Okay, I have been MIA for a few days; there has been a lot of stuff going on out here in SoCal that I'd rather not discuss. Sad stuff. The only thing I will say is this: hug your friends and loved ones tightly, alright? Trust me on this, I might not know much about much, but you should love fiercely and often, and do the things you want while you're here. You only get one life, you know!

I haven't forgotten about my wonderful blog, though, just haven't been burning that much in the past few days. Anyhow, it's time for another round of Wickless Wednesday!

The concept of Scentsy is pretty cool: wax cubes they you heat in a warmer, then, once heated, distribute scent! I will admit, I have smelled some scents that were a huge miss, but most of them smell great! Unlike other wax cubes I've smelled recently, they really are worth the price of $5 per clamshell; plus, Scentsy includes 8 cubes instead of the standard 6 cubes. While I think I'm still sold on candles and tarts, Scentsy's winter fragrances have outdone themselves.

Cozy Fireside is the most amazing Scentsy scent I have yet to smell; I've said good things about other scents before, but this one is in my top 10 scents EVER. Period. Candles, wax, tarts...this one is straight Christmas ham...no, literally, this is what my Christmas ham smells like. Cloves, cinnamon, a touch of sugar, crackling fire, orange peel, citrus burst, caramelized glaze, more clove, it's simply amazing. I burn 2 cubes at a time, and the scent lasts a long time. Cozy Fireside was so strong that I smelled it upon waking up this morning (after warming it last night)...

...these are the times when I wish the internet had scratch and sniff.

Everything in this clamshell is brilliant. Scentsy got this one right, and it almost makes up for the atrocity that is Caramel Pear Crisp (if you like false, overly sweet bakery scents, then you will LOVE that one).

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Scentsy's Cozy Fireside
Cold Rating: 8/10, Christmas ham with clove (minus ham) meets spiced cider meets a flaming fireplace, in the best way possible.
Lit Rating: 7.5/10, bursting with Christmasy goodness, but we wish it was a little bit stronger. We tend to dig stronger smells!
Throw Rating: 8/10, smells like a clove-covered orange grove; made the entire house smell amazing for hours after the warmer was turned off.
Overall Rating: 8/10; if you took an orange and stuck cloves in its peel, then lit it on fire, you'd have Cozy Fireside.

Glade Expressions Collection!

I am a member of BzzAgent, where you get to try out new products and have a chance to influence big name brands. Well, I was chosen to be part of the Glade Expressions Collection campaign! I received a free coupon to try out Glade's oil diffuser and fragrance mist. Luckily, you can buy these at most major grocery stores, as well as some drug stores and mass merchandisers!

Let me tell you, I am IN LOVE with the Cotton & Italian Mandarin scent. I have had a really hard time finding a fragrance spray for our house that both Josh and I like collectively. This one won us both over, mainly because I tend to like fresh scents and Josh likes fruity fragrances! We use it all over the house.

I've always been skeptical about oil diffusers, but Glade has turned me into a fan. THEY ARE SO EASY TO USE! I couldn't tell you why I have been so hesitant to try them, and Glade's cute and trendy holder makes it look more like a piece of art, rather than a bunch of sticks in a small glass vase that could spill out at a moment's notice.

I am glad we had the opportunity to try these products! Thanks, BzzAgent, and if you're not a member, sign up today!

Wickless Wednesday: Bath & Body Works' Brown Sugar and Fig Fine Fragrance Mist Review

A lot of the perfume I've purchased in the past can be described in the following terms:

-Bubble Gum
-Middle School
-Sickeningly Sweet
-Dirty Pop
-Cotton Candy (do you remember that one? Ughhh...)

I feel as though, in the past few years, I've developed a nose for more mature scents, hence why I don't like bakery fragrances anymore.

...but does Brown Sugar and Fig count as a bakery fragrance?

Because, if it does, I'm breaking my rule yet again, and I can't change my mind now, because this is the only scent I've used consistently for years.

Bath & Body Works recently changed/added a line to their bottled sprays to a "fine fragrance mist," which a lot of people seem to prefer. Personally, I like this bottling much better; it seems less clunky, more modern, and it looks a little more expensive and stylish. Not sure all of that makes much of a difference or matters at all, just an observation I had!

Bottom line, this scent ROCKS! It's the perfect blend of spice, sweetness, and figgy fruit [I'm not sure figgy is a word, but let's just go with it].
Brown Sugar & Fig is a tried and true fragrance, and in my opinion, it shouldn't be exclusively for fall (even though that's when it's marketed). It works well year-round: it's cozy and warm enough for the fall and winter, but sweet and fruity enough for the spring and summer. I've also read that Bath & Body Works manufactures their sprays to last up to 3 years from the time of bottling (mind you, I read this online, so take it as you may), so it seems like their fragrances are "built" to last.

I give Brown Sugar and Fig Fine Fragrance Mist a 8/10, review-wise due to longevity, nostalgia, and usability. This one is a limited edition scent, so pick it up soon if you're a fan!

Review: White Barn's Marshmallow Fireside 14.5 oz. 3-Wick Candle

Have you ever been camping?

I have, two or three times, in fact.
...And I know I'm in the minority, but guess what: It's terrible.

On the flip side, my best friend is an adventurer. If it involves hiking, sleeping outside, or the wilderness in general, he'll be there in a heartbeat.

...it might sound like a joke, but I've always maintained that my idea of camping involves a hotel. With nice, fluffy pillows. And an ice machine close by. A spectacular view. Poolside drinks and a bubbling, scorching spa. With room service.

Hey, a gal can dream, can't she?  :)

The only parts I miss about camping are the sights and smells. The picturesque mountains on a dew-filled morning, fresh, damp leaves and tree needles, a roaring fire, crackling every few seconds with delight...yes, these things would get me to camp again.

Speaking of a crackling fire, s'mores are one of my favorite desserts. There's something about their simplicity, yet maintain their ability to be altered that makes me crave them.
Marshmallows in general are the very definition of happiness.

Well, folks, Bath & Body Works carries one of my new favorite candles: White Barn's Marshmallow Fireside. There's a reason this one's a fan favorite: it smells exactly like toasting marshmallows on an open fire at a campsite. Cold, this candle smells heavenly, like you could eat it straight out of its container (except for that whole dying thing...). On the surface, this candle is sweet, but not so sweet that it makes you ill. When lit, you uncover a smokey, woodsy note that cuts the marshmallow sweetness perfectly to create an intoxicating scent memory...
[...even if that memory is one of a camping trip that took place waaaaaay too soon after an all-night, lock-you-in-the-gym-because-we-had-to graduation after"party," on very little sleep, before energy drinks were very popular...]

Sorry, I got sidetracked on reminiscing! Bottom line: this candle is homey, warm, cozy...everything that embodies fall and winter. My particular candle had a bad burn at times, with low flames and bad wax pooling. I wish the throw was as strong as this candle smells when unlit, but it still fills one room really well.

...I am going to make it a point to hoard everything Marshmallow Fireside scented before the products run out after Christmas!

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White Barn Marshmallow Fireside
Cold Rating: 8/10
Lit Rating: 6/10; my candle had a very bad burn at times, but still did a pretty decent job of filling one room with scent.
Throw Rating: 6.5/10; it had its moments of barely any throw.
Overall Rating: 7/10; visions of huddling around a campfire, toasting fluffy, white pillows of decadence, woodsy and slightly burnt deliciousness.

Weekend Wax Review: September 8-9

This has been a pretty uneventful weekend for me. My husband recently started working both Saturday and Sunday, which I think is better because he has two days off in the middle of the week.

Less lines + less crowds + more opportunities to shop and see movies = MUCH BETTER.

Wow, that made me sound like the Grinch.

OOO OOO OOO, speaking of the Grinch, there's only 106 days until Christmas!!

Speaking of Christmas! I got my Yankee Candle tarts in the mail! YAY! I will do a haul and review on some  randomly picked scents later on this week.

Anyway, back to my weekend review!

Saturday: This might sound gross, but we woke up Friday morning and something stunk in our house. IT HAPPENS, OKAY!? It might have just been because we've been running the air conditioner and have not had the back door opened...but ugh. I ran my tart warmer all day with Scentsy's "Clean Breeze," and the same was true until about 1pm on Saturday...then, the mailman arrived! I downloaded this awesome app called Package Buddy and it is AWESOME. I've entered multiple packages at a time and it has always been accurate, from UPS and USPS to FedEx! I peeled back the tape, opened the box, pulled out the stuffing and there were my glorious votives!...now, if I could only get my hands on some more votive holders! I decided to burn Kitchen Spice first. It smells like Constant Comment tea, with top notes of orange and clove, and a hint of cinnamon and ginger mixed in. Glorious! I wish I had this in a full-size jar!

Sunday: I didn't really get home until 4ish today, so I decided to five head-first into my White Barn "Cranberry Woods", so that's burning right now. Boy, oh boy, it smells so wonderful. It's woodsy, filled with berries, sweet and smokey all at the same time. I'll be burning this the rest of this night, for sure!

Until next time! I *promise* I will review Marshmallow Fireside, as well as give some helpful hints I've picked up along the way during my time as a scent addict.

Wickless Wednesday: Burberry Brit Eau de Toilette Review

It's time to start a new trend around here!

Once a week, I'll be reviewing a product that DOESN'T burn, be it soaps, perfumes, tarts, wax, etc.

So, here's to the first Wickless Wednesday!

I've always been pretty simple when it comes to perfume. It seems like, given the option, perfume isn't too high on my list of priorities. I'm a sucker for a great bargain, and I get that from my grandpa. Groupon hounds me about 39572934582 times each day about things that are on sale. Most of the time, I delete them out of fear of wasting money unnecessarily (read: candles and scents ARE NOT wasting money!). Every so often, Groupon definitely pays off.

About four months ago, I saw a deal for some perfume that, for all intents and purposes, was "expensive," upon researching the interwebsz. I've never really purchased fancy-schmancy perfume, so I took the plunge and bought it, a steal at $32 (and this is WITH shipping)!

Burberry Brit is a mildy sweet and sexy fragrance, a gentle mix of citrus, almond, and florals, with an ending vanilla note. While it doesn't last all day, it sure packs a powerful punch upon spraying! While most websites say this is the perfect "going out" fragrance, I find it does the job throughout the day, and have even received a few compliments about it! It has a cool box and bottle, too. The only reason it was on sale is because it came out in 2003, so while it's an "older" style, I think it remains contemporary almost ten years later. This scents is perfect for someone my age, perfect for someone who wants a perfume more substantial than what a simple spray offers, but not "White Diamonds." Smelling this scent definitely makes me want to try another Burberry fragrance, and I guess they are pretty popular since they make tons of scents for both men AND women!

...Wow, I sound so out of touch.

Anyways, I give this perfume 7/10. I would have liked it to have a little more staying power, but it smells amazing, regardless. If you like citrusy, bright, feminine, and sexy perfumes, track this one down!

Weekend Wax Review: September 1-2

First of all, has anyone seen the movie "John Carter," anyone at all?
No?
There's a reason it flopped, trust me. Steer clear, my friends, it's not very good.

Saturday: Burned a few scents on Saturday. I was trying to finish off a Yankee votive in Cherry Lemonade, but not dice. Met my mom at a shop up the street, then took our pup to her house for lunch. So, I still have half of it left, which is alright, because it smells amazing, just like Fruit Strips gum! When I got home, I burned Yankee Candle Simply Home Beach Towel for a few hours to freshen up the joint because it always makes the house smell better. When Josh got home, I showed him my newly purchased/exchanged White Barn Marshmallow Fireside, and we had that one going for the rest of this night. It made me want s'mores...fabulous, delicious s'mores...review to come on this wonderful fragrance sometime this week.

Sunday: Cleaned the house today, so I needed something clean and floral to brighten up the air! I actually melted Scentsy's 'Awakening' in my tart warmer. If you haven't tried Scentsy, the concept is pretty neat, sort of like AVON but with scented wax; some scents are hit and miss, though, many I've smelled have been artificial (cinnamon should smell like cinnamon, not carnauba wax infused Big Red). You can buy other brands of wax cubes at any number of places online, as well as in-store at placeslike Walmart (Better Homes & Gardens brand, Scentsationals, etc). 'Awakening' is part of Scentsy's Spa collection; it was a great air freshener, and powerful, but did the job! I don't sell Scentsy, so don't think this is a cheap ploy to get you to purchase from me, because it's not. Tonight, we are burning Slatkin's Pink Sangria (4oz) as a change of pace; we wanted something fruity, and this scent is fabulous: juicy raspberries, tangy tangerine, infused with brandy-soaked grapes. Delish, if only I had a Pink Sangria drink in my hand right now!

Have a fabulous Labor Day, everyone, and remember, be safe!

Bacon?!? In a CANDLE?!?!

On this day, the most sacred of days (INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY!!), Bath & Body Works announced on Twitter that they would be coming out with a...

--wait for it--

Bacon. Chocolate. Cupcake. Scented. Candle.

This is quite possibly the most fantastic news in the history of candle-kind.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.

/end excitement from a bacon fanatic.